The second vessel left Ukraine via the Black Sea and reached the territorial waters of Romania

Despite threats from Russia, a second ship, which was previously blocked due to the war, has left the port of Odesa and passed through a temporary corridor to Romania.

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced this on Twitter. The ship had been blocked since February 20, 2022, and was loaded with steel for consumers in Africa. Ukraine is defending freedom of navigation with real actions, and the world benefits from stability. Zelensky thanked everyone involved, including port workers and soldiers, for making this possible.

The navigational corridor was established by the Ukrainian Navy and is primarily used for the evacuation of ships that were in Ukrainian ports such as Chornomorsk, Odesa, and Pivdennyi at the time of the full-scale Russian invasion. Ukraine proposed this route to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The IMO Council recognizes Ukraine's international right to free commercial navigation and calls on Russia to cease any threats and adhere to international conventions. The first ship to pass through this route was the container ship JOSEPH SCHULTE on August 16th.

On August 23rd, insurance companies informed shipowners working in Black Sea ports in Russia about an increase in additional payments known as war risk premiums. On July 28th, African leaders called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to implement a peaceful plan to end the war in Ukraine and to restore the agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain.